Accordion seal for electrical connectors

ABSTRACT

An accordion seal for electrical connectors for sealing the external surfaces of a pair of mated connectors. The seal comprises a rear portion which is secured to a surface of the connector shell. The front portion of the shell engages the other connector member with the intermediate portion folding in an accordion fashion as the connector shells are drawn closer together. Moreover, the intermediate portion may be formed of a plurality of rippled sections, the sections folding in accordion fashion upon mating of the connector shells.

United States Patent [1 1 inna Bruce K. Arnold Pasadena;

Edward C. Paugh, Hacienda liigts, both 01 Calif.

Feb. 26, 1970 Nov. 16, 1971 International Telephone and TelegraphCorporation New York, NY.

[72] Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee ACCORDION SEAL FORELECTRICAL CONNECTORS 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.....

Int. Cl

Field of Search 339/94 Ml ll'Iillr 13/52 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS ,005 101. 'm9..----

2,755,449 7/1956 Anderson 339/47 2,136,848 11/1938 Hassler..... 339/603,449,706 6/1969 Carissimi 339/94 M Primary Examiner-Joseph l-I. McGlynnAttorneys-C. Cornell Remsen, Jr., Walter J. Baum, Paul W.

Hemminger, Charles L. Johnson, Jr. and Thomas E. Kristofferson ABSTRACT:An accordion seal for electrical connectors for sealing the externalsurfaces of a pair of mated connectors. The seal comprises a rearportion which is secured to a surface of the connector shell. The frontportion of the shell engages the other connector member with theintermediate portion folding in an accordion fashion as the connectorshells are drawn closer together. Moreover, the intermediate portion maybe formed of a plurality of rippled sections, the sections folding inaccordion fashion upon mating of the connector shells.

PAIENTEDunv 16 Ian 3,521,44

sum 2 0r 2 o. A. m fi INVENTOR. BRUCE K ARA/OLD BY EON/1RD C. HQUGHf/MJM HTTORNE V ACCORDION SEAL FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS This inventionrelates in general to an accordion seal for electrical connectors and,more particularly to peripheral seals which provide environmentalsealing on an external surface on a pair of mated connectors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of peripheral seals in electricalconnectors have categorically been classified in two major classes; (A)purely compressive seals, and (b) frictional compressive seals. Toperform their intended function, the seals are mounted either externallyor internally of the mating connectors and are deflected by a matingmember surface. If the seal is primarily compressive in nature, it takesthe form of an O-ring or flat washer surface that can be compressed by amated member to form a gas or liquid seal. If, however, the seal isfrictional in nature, it is compressed by the mating member and providesfrictional resistance of a specific distance during the mating andunmating of the connectors. In both cases, the prime purpose of thisseal is to provide an environmental seal between the two matingconnector members during a single or repeated coupling. These seals inorder to provide the necessary function, must provide adequateprotection against pressural differentials, the effects of temperatureextremes, liquid contaminants, as well as gases. Further, the seal mustretain resiliency over extended life conditions.

Heretofore, conventional environmental seals of the abovementioned typehave failed to adequately perform its intended functions, due to theinability to remain dynamic or resilient after prolonged usage orextreme exposure to environmental conditions. A part of this tendencytoward failure has resulted from the seal materials inability to returnto its unstressed condition. This failure has primarily existed, due tothe seal configuration and the manner in which it is deflected orcompressed.

While Oring or butt-type seals normally tend to be compressed a givenamount when the coupling members have been mated and in a positive stopposition, if on a subsequent mating, the sealing member has lost itsresiliency and it is not possible to mate beyond the initial depth, thedesired sealing may not be achieved. Further, frictional-type seals havebeen found to be quite sensitive and difficult to be provided withadequate tolerances. To attempt to provide required tolerances and theresultant force provided by these type of seals tends to varysubstantially from seal to seal. Moreover, in frictional-type seals,while mating depths have not been nearly as critical as in a butt seal,it has been found that the memory factor, i.e., the ability to return toits initial shape becomes highly critical.

In order to overcome the attendant disadvantages of prior art peripheralenvironmental connector seals, the present invention allows sealing ofmating connector seals over a wide range of mating conditions. The sealcan be used in applications that may require a wide range of closuredistances, as well as relatively low mating forces. The device can bemounted externally or internally on one of the mating connectors andcompresses accordingly on the mating half. By operating in a dynamicmode, large changes in closure of the mated members can be accommodatedwhile simultaneously maintaining a seal. Upon mating of the twoconnectors, a positive seal is formed which protects the connectors fromthe adverse effect of the surrounding environment.

The advantages of the invention, both as to its construction and mode ofoperation, will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which likereferences numerals designate like parts throughout the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I depicts a perspective view of an electric connector member havingan environmental seal mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the electrical connector memberin FIG. 1 being mated with another connector member;

FIG. 3 illustrates the electrical connector members of FIG. 2 in a fullymated condition;

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the seal of FIGS. 1-3, partlyin section; and

FIG. 5 depicts the seal of FIG. 4 in a mated condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,there is shown in FIG. II a plug connector member 12 which may be usedfor mating with a corresponding receptacle connector (not shown in FIG.1). The plug connector contains a flange member 114 at the rear endthereof. The flange 14 contains a plurality of holes 16 which may beused to mount the connector half in a typical installation. Mounted onthe axially extending front outer surface 18 of the connector 12 is aseal 22 used in accordance with the invention. The rear end of the seal22 abuts the flange 114 with the seal extending forwardly therefrom.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the plug connector 12 partiallymated with a receptacle connector 24. The plug connector is aconventional design and comprises a front bore surface 26 and a rearbore surface 28 which are interconnected by an inwardly extending flangesurface 32. The flange surface has a forward facing shoulder 34 andrearwardly facing shoulder 36 which define the inner ends of the bores26 and 28, respectively.

Mounted within the plug connector 12 is a front insulator 38 and a rearinsulator 42, the front surface of the front insula tor terminating justshort of the front end of the bore 26 and the rear end thereofterminating in the plane of the rearwardly facing shoulder 36. The frontsurface of the rear insulator 42 abuts both the rearwardly facingshoulder 36 and the rear end of the front insulator 38. The rear surfaceof the rear insulator 42 is flush with the axis of the rear surface ofthe connector shell. A retainer ring 44 prevents the rear insulator 42from being removed from the insulator. Mounted within bores 46 of thefront insulator 38 are socket contacts 48 whose rear end thereof areconnected to a crimping portion 52, mounted in bores 54 in the rearinsulator 42. Conductors 56 are crimped to the crimp members 52.

The receptacle connector 24 is of conventional design also and comprisesa flange member 62 which is integral with the outer surface 64 of thereceptacle connector 24, near the front end thereof. The inner surfaceof the receptacle connector 24 contains a forward bore portion 66, whichterminates a forward facing shoulder 68 and contains a flared opening 72at the front end thereof. The front end of the flared opening 72 definesthe front surface of the receptacle connector shell. The connector shellcontains a rear reduced diameter bore 74, which extends from the rearend of the connector shell to a rearward facing shoulder 76.

The receptacle connector further comprises a rear insulator member 82having forward bore portions 84 and rearward bore portions 86. The rearsurface of the rear insulator 82 is flush with the plane of the rearsurface of the receptacle connector and the front surface of the rearinsulator terminate short of the rearward facing shoulder 76. Thereceptacle connector also comprises a front insulator 92 having areduced outer front surface 94 and an enlarged rear surface 96. Thesurface 96 is approximately equal to the outer dimension of the rearinsulator 82 with the front surface of the rear insulator 82 abuttingthe rear surface of the front insulator 92.

Further, a forward facing shoulder 98 of the front insulator abuts therearward facing shoulder 76 of the connector shell. The front insulatorcontains reduced diameter forward bore portions 102 and enlargeddiameter rear bore portions 104. Mounted within the forward bore portion102 is a terminal pin I06 whose front ends extend forwardly from thefront surface of the front insulator 92. The rear end of the terminalpins 106 are integral with a terminal portion I08 mounted in the rearbore 104 of the front insulator 92. The rear end of the terminal portion106 is secured to a crimp member 112, mounted in the forward bore 84 ofthe rear insulator. Conductors 114 are secured to the crimp member 112and are passed through the rear bore portion 86 of the rear insulatorwith the conductor 114 extending rearwardly therefrom. Further, aretaining ring 116 is used to secure the rear insulator within thereceptacle connector shell.

The seal 22, which is normally made of a resilient elastomer whichcontains silicone, but can be made of other resilient materials, isformed of a terminal portion 124 which is generally L-shaped and abutsthe junction of the front face of the flange 14 and the outer surface18. The seal then extends forwardly in a somewhat bowed portion 126 andterminates in a circular lip portion 128. The bottom inner surface 132of the bowed portion 126 is spaced slightly away from the surface 18.The portion 124 rests at the junction of the flange l4 and the surface18. However, in other applications, this portion of the seal can bepermanently attached by bonding or vulcanization. In the embodiment asshown, however, by leaving the seal unattached on site installation orreplacement may be performed relatively simply.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the two connection halves 12 and 24 are mated,the flared opening 72 of the receptacle shell 24 abuts the seal at theouter edge of the member 128. Since the seal is relatively fixed at itsend of the L-shaped member 124, deflection of the seal equally aroundthe shell surface 18 occurs along its columnar axis with the bow at thecenter of the member 126. Thus, a positive seal is formed between theinner surface of the receptacle connector 24 and the outer surface ofthe plug connector 12 by means of the seal 22.

Due to its columnar configuration, the seal is deflected equally aroundthe surface 18 of the plug connector 12 and the force on the sealincreases lineraly with deflection. Since the seal is deflected alongits columnar axis, every advantage is taken of its columnar strength andits attendant recovery characteristic. If a minimum of deflection isavailable, the seal memory characteristic will be fully utilized and theresultant movement becomes purely deflective in nature rather thancompressive.

Further, while the seal has been shown mounted on the outer surface ofthe plug connector 12, it should be understood, of course, that otherarrangements are possible, for example, the seal could be mounted on theinner surface of the receptacle connector 24 and, as previously pointedout,

may be permanently attached to the connector shell by conventionaltechniques.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of theseal of FIGS. 1 through 3. In FIG. 4, the seal, instead of being bowedat one place, contains a multiple of bowed portions, 142, 144 and 146,which are interconnected at one end by the terminal portion 148 and atthe other end by the circular lip portion 152. When the two connectorarrangements are mated, as shown in FIG. 5, an accordion arrangement iseffected with the member 142, 144 and 146 folding together. Thearrangement of FIGS. 4 and 5 allows sealing over a greater range withlower force per unit of deflection than the arrangement of FIGS. 1-3.

What is claimed is:

1. An accordion seal for environmentally sealing a pair of matingconnector members at the outer surface thereof, comprising:

a first connector member having a shell surface and having a flaredopening at the front end thereof,

a second connector member having a shell surface which is adjacent saidfirst connector member shell surface when said connector members aremated,

said accordion seal comprising a rear portion, an intermediate portionand a front portion; said rear portion being secured to said secondconnector member shell surface in a relatively fixed manner, saidintermediate portion having a portion of which is spaced from saidsecond connector shell surface a first predetermined distance when saidconnector shells are not mated, said front portion engaging said firstconnector member at said flared opening and forming a sealingarrangement between said connector members, said intermediate portionfolding in an accordion fashion as said connector shells are drawncloser together.

2. An accordion seal in accordance with claim 1 wherein saidintermediate portion is formed of a plurality of rippled sections, saidsections folding in accordion fashion upon mating of said connectorshells.

3. An accordion seal in accordance with claim 1 wherein the seal isdeflected equally around the connector shell surface upon which it ismounted when the connector members are mated.

4. An accordion seal in accordance with claim 3 wherein the force on theseal increases linerly with deflection during mating of said connectormembers.

1. An accordion seal for environmentally sealing a pair of matingconnector members at the outer surface thereof, comprising: a firstconnector member having a shell surface and having a flared opening atthe front end thereof, a second connector member having a shell surfacewhich is adjacent said first connector member shell surface when saidconnector members are mated, said accordion seal comprising a rearportion, an intermediate portion and a front portion; said rear portionbeing secured to said second connector member shell surface in arelatively fixed manner, said intermediate portion having a portion ofwhich is spaced from said second connector shell surface a firstpredetermined distance when said connector shells are not mated, saidfront portion engaging said first connector member at said flaredopening and forming a sealing arrangement between said connectormembers, said intermediate portion folding in an accordion fashion assaid connector shells are drawn closer together.
 2. An accordion seal inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion is formed of aplurality of rippled sections, said sections folding in accordionfashion upon mating of said connector shells.
 3. An accordion seal inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the seal is deflected equally around theconnector shell surface upon which it is mounted when the connectormembers are mated.
 4. An accordion seal in accordance with claim 3wherein the force on the seal increases linerly with deflection duringmating of said connector members.